Electric socket



July 1, 1941. i M, Q HQxlE 2,247,778

ELECTRIC SOCKET Filed July 4, 1959 Inventov: Merrill C. Hoxie,

His Attor'neg.

Patented July 1, 1941 e ELECTRIC SOCKET Merrill C. Hoxie, Eggertsvilie, N. Y., assignor to General Electric Company, a corporation of New York` Application July 4, 1939, Serial No. 282,781

A 15 Claims.

The present invention relates to electrical connectors, and more particularly to a combined Ysocket and switch. The socket of the present invention is well adapted for mounting and controlling a lamp having a plurality of filaments.

It is an object of this invention to provide a new and improved snap switch mechanism.

It is another object of this invention to provide an improved rotary snap switch mechanism having more than two circuit-controlling positions to which it may be operated by rotation in either direction.

contacts I and I6 be insulated from each other and from the shell contact I4 and to this end the flange I8 is provided with spaced notches 23 and 24 in alignment with the openings 2I and 22 t and wider than the arms of the l .shaped stampings I9 and 20. A spherical depression 25 formed in each of the L-shaped membersls and 2I| engages a similarly shaped depression (not shown) on the face of the .barrier I3 and coop- 1; Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken along the line 4 4 of Fig. 1; Fig. 5 is an exploded view showing the parts of the switch mechanism, and Figs. 6 to 9 show the switch mechanism in its different circuit-controlling positions.

Referring to the drawing, a socket body I0 of generally cylindrical shape is formed of suitable insulating material such as a molded phenolic condensation product, The body is provided with axially extending recesses II and I2 which open at opposite ends of the body and are adapted to receive/the socket parts and switch mechanism respectively. In the construction shown, a transverse barrier I3 molded integrally with the socket body separates the recesses II and I2 and provides a support for parts of the socket and switching mechanism.

The current conducting parts of the socket include a shell contact I4, a central contact I5 and an intermediate contact I6. The shell contact, which may be of the screw thread type, is provided at its lower edge with integral inturned flanges I'I'and I8. The central and intermediate contacts I5 and I6 are formed on one arm of the L-shaped stampings I9 and 20 respectively.- The stampings I9 and 20 are assembled in the body with the arms including the contacts I5 and I6 extending substantially parallel to the barrier I3 and with the other arms extending axially of the socket body through spaced openings 2| and 22 in the barrier I3 and into therecess 'I2. It is essential that the central and intermediate erates` with the walls of openings 2| and 22 `to position the stampings and prevent them from moving into engagement with the ange I8 of the contact shell. A helical spring 26 is interposed between the central contact I5 and the barrier I3 to increase the resilience of the contact and insure a good electrical connection with the central contact of a lamp received in the socket. A washer 21 of insulating material and an overlying metal plate 28 are clamped against the flange I8 of the contact shell I4 and the L- shaped members I9 and 20 to secure them in the recess I I. A metal plate or washer 29 is clamped against the flange I'I of the contact shell I4.

A pair of conducting terminal straps 30 and 3| having integral lugs 32 and 33 respectively extending from one end thereof are positioned in the recess I2 in spaced parallel relation. The lug 32 passes through aligned openings in the barrier I3, the flange Il of the shell contact and the washer 29. The lug is peened over or otherwise deformed into engagement with the upper surface of the conducting plate 29 to clamp the plate against the flange I1 and connect electrically the strap 38 to the shell contact I4. In a similar way the lugs 33 of the terminal strap 3| extend through the barrier I3, the insulating washer 21, and the plate 28 against the outer surface of which they are deformed. As will be apparent as the description proceeds, it is essential that the strap 3I be insulated from the socket contacts and for this reason the central portion ofthe flange I8 is cut away as illustrated by the dotted lines of Fig. 3, so that the lugs 33 do not pass therethrough. Shoulders 34 on each of the straps adjacent the lugs engage the lower face of the barrier I3 and prevent the straps from moving endwise relative tothe socket body. `The lower end of each strap is provided with an outwardly extending terminal portion 35, the ends of which are received in the axially extending grooves 36 and 31 formed in the side walls of the recess I2. A disk of insulating material 38 provided with spaced apertures for the reception of the terminal straps is assembled thereon before the terminal straps are secured to thebarrier I3.

portion 54 near the end lthereof.

'I'he disk is held from endwise movement by engagement with the upper i'aces of the terminals 35 and lower ends of the `axially extending ribs 39 and provides additional lateral support for the terminal straps 30 and 3|.

The terminal straps 30 and 3| serve as supis provided. 'I'he disk is mounted on lthe strap 3| for rotation relative thereto by a hub 45 which is positioned in an opening 43 formed in the termin-al strap between the ears 42 and 43. The

hub which may be stamped from suitable sheet met-a1 is secured to one face of the disk by integral tabs 41 which extend through openings 48 andare bent over against Ithe opposite face of the disk. The disk lies between the movable contacts 40 and 4| and fthe strap 3| and serves to separate them when the disk is rotated from a closed circuit to an open circuit position. The disk 4is provided with suitable segmental notches 49 and 56 land a segmental opening 5| which permit the movable contacts 40 and 4| to engage the socket body by a bowed spring retainer 62 which lies adjacent one wall of the body .in the axially extending recess 36.- 'An insulating plate 63 lying in the recess 36 between the retainer spring and the wall of the socket body is provided with shoulders 64 which engage the insulating disk" 3.8 -to hold it against .the terminal portions 35 of the conducting strap. The plate 63 is also provided with an opening 65 in which the key 66 -is positioned.

The resilience of the spring arms 53 normally -biases them outwardly and retains them in the positioning slots 56 of the terminal strap 3|. When the key 6|!4 is rotated the spring 52 is distorted due to torsional stress and the end portions thereof are drawn radially inwardly until .they are released from the positioning slots 56 at which time they are received in the axially extending grooves 66 formed on the hub 45 in alignment with the elongated openings 55 of the circuit-controlling disk. 'I'he energy stored in the spring by virtue of its torsional distortion isv effective to rotate the disk with a snap action.

When the ends of the spring reach the next setv y tive to the conducting strap 3|. With this conears 42 and 43 to control the ilow of current therebetween in a manner to be more fully set forth in connection with the operation of the switch.

In order to rotate .the circuit-controlling disk 44 from one position .to another with a snap ac` tion, an actuating spring 52 is provided. This spring is inthe form of an open loop of wire hav- `ing a pair of resilient arms 53 normally lying in the same plane and each of which has a straight The straight portions of the spring extend in generally parallel relation and are positioned in elongated openings 55 formed in the insulating disk 44 at diametrically opposite points adjacentnthe outer surface of .the hub 45. A plurality of angularly displaced positioning slots 56 are formed in the terminal strap 3|. These slots extend radially from the opening 46 and in a four-position switch as illustratedare spaced 90 degrees apart. The straight portions -54 of the spring arms are positioned in the elongated openings 55 of the circuit controlling disk and certain of the positioning slots 56 which are in alignment therewith when the disk is in one of its circuit controlling positions. The ends 51 of the spring arms are bent outwardly to hold them from slipping endwise out of the elongated openings '6. The closed end of the spring is provided with an. oiset portion 58 which is received in an opening in .the terminal strap in alignment with the opening 46 of the terminal strap 30. An operating member is provided by a key 60 of insulating material which extends through a suitable opening in the wall of the socket body in alignment with the opening in the grcrmmetA 59. The key is provided with a slotted end 6| which is rotatably mounted in the grommet' and receives the oilset portion 58 vof the actuating spring 52 to form a driving connection therewith. The key 60 is held in the struction it is apparent that the disk may be rotated in either direction with a snap action by simply rotating the operating key in the desired direction. This feature is particularly advantageous in sockets for multi-filament lamps inasmuch as it permits the switch to be turned back to the last preceding operating position without moving the switching mechanism .through a complete cycle of operation.

An insulating washer 61 and a metal cover plate 68 are provided .to close the lower end of the socket body and are secured thereto by screws 69 which pass through the barrier I3 and threadingly engage the openings 10 formed `in the cover plate. The cover plate and washer are positioned on the socket body by integral lugs 1| which engage suitable notches (not shown) in the lower end of the socket body. The cover plate is proas a support for the socket as well as a passage for the circuit wires (not shown) which are to be connected to the terminals 35 by suitable binding screws '13.

IIn Figs. 6 'to 9 the terminal strap 3|, the insulating ldisk 44 and the movable switch contacts 40 and 4| are shown in the four operative positions which they may occupy in the particular construction illustrated. In Fig. 6 lthe parts are shown in the' .position they occupy in the switch, as it is illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2. In this position it is apparentl that .the movable contact 4| is connected to the ear 43 through the notch 50 in the circuit-controlling disk 44. The movable contact 40 is separated from the ear 42 by a portion of .the insulating disk. With the parts in the position just described an electric circuit is completed from the terminal strap 30, through the shell terminal I4, one filament of a Alamp (not shown), the intermediate contact I 6, the movable contact 4|, the ear 43, .to the conducting strap 3|. When the disk 44 is rotated 90 degrees in a clockwise direction, as viewed in Fig. 6, to the position shown in Fig. 7, the movable switch contact '40 connected to the central contact |5 is allowed to eng-age the ear 42 of the conducting strap 3| through the opening 5|. The movable l switch contacts 40 and 4| have been moved away from the ears 42 and 43 by the disk 44 and 'are insulated therefrom by a portion of the disk. In Fig. 9 after another quarter turn in a clockwise direction the contact 4| is insulated .from the ear 43 of the terminal strap and the contact 4I! is connected to the ear 42 through the notch 49 in the insulating disk.

As best illustrated in Figs. 6 to 9, the movable contacts 40 and 4| are arranged at dierent radial distances from the center of rotation oi the disk 44, so that their circuit-controlling position is controlled by diiierent annular portions of the disk. As illustrated, the contact 40 is arranged nearer the center of the disk and is controlled by the deeper notch 49 and the aperture 5|, while the contact 4| is controlled by the notches 49 and 5U. In the present construction the movable contacts 40 and 4| are biased toward the xed contact formed by the conducting strap 3| and are controlled by the interposed disk 44. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the contacts 40 and 4I may be biased away from the strap 3| and the disk 44 arranged to move them sequentially into engagement therewith as the disk is rotated from one circuitcontrolling position to another.

The improved snap-acting mechanism and the simpliled arrangement ofthe socket and switch contacts are considered important features of the present invention. I

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is:

1. In an electric switch, a support, a plurality of contacts non-rotatably mounted with respect to said support and at least one of which is movable and biased to one circuit ycontrolling position, a rotatable circuit controller for moving said movable contact to another circuit controlling position, and means including a spring in the form of an open loop having spaced resilient arms operatively connected with said circuit controller for rotating said circuit controller with a snap action.

2. A snap acting mechanism for an electric switch comprising a rotatable circuit controller having a plurality of circuit controlling positions, a spring member including a pair of spaced resilient arms lying in substantially the same plane and having a driving connection with said circuit controller, means for restraining the ends of said arms in a plurality oi' angularly displaced positions corresponding to the circuit controlling positions of said controller, and means for rotating the unrestrained portion of said spring to distort said spring and move said spring arms toward each other and thereby to release said spring arms from said restraining means so that said spring arms and said circuit controller are rotated to another position with a snap action by the energy stored in said spring.

3. A snap acting mechanism for an electric switch, comprising a support having an aperture therein, a plurality of positioning means angularly displaced around said aperture, a spring member having spaced resilient arms extending through said aperture and normally held against rotation by certain of said positioning means, a circuit controller having a driving connection with said spring arms, and means for rotating a portion of said spring between said arms to distort said spring and release said arms from said positioning means so that the energy stored in said spring by the distortion thereof rotates said circuit controller 4with a snap action.

4. A snap acting mechanism for an electric switch, comprising an insulating housing, a pair of supporting straps extending in spaced relation in said housing and having aligned apertures therein, one oi' said straps having a plurality of positioning slots communicating with the aperture therein, an open-ended spring member having a pair oi resilient arms positioned in certain of said positioning slots, the closed end of said spring having an oiset portion received in the aperture ofY the other of said straps to mount said spring for rotation about an axis passing through said apertures, an operating key rotatably mounted with respect to said casing and having a slotted end extending through the aperture in said last-mentioned strap with the offset portion of said springreceived in said slot to form a driving connection therewith.

5. A snap acting mechanism for an electric switch, comprising a support having an aperture and a plurality of spaced positioning slots communicating therewith, a circuit controlling member mounted for rotation relative to said support and having openings formed therein in alignment with certain oi.' said positioning slots, a

spring member having resilient arms each of which is positioned at one end in one of said openings and the positioning slot in alignment therewith, and means for rotating a portion of said spring between said arms to distort said spring and release said arms from said positionving slots whereby the energy stored in said spring vby the distortion thereof rotates said circuit controlling member with a snap action.

6. A snap acting mechanism for an electric switch comprising avsupport having an aperture and a plurality of spaced positioning slots communicating therewith, a circuit controlling disk of insulating material having a hub positioned in said aperture and mounting said disk for rotation relative to said support, said disk having openings formed therein in alignment with certain of said positioning slots, said hub having axially extending grooves formed therein in alignment with said openings, a spring member having a pair of spaced resilient arms each of which is positioned at one end in one of said openings and the positioning slot in alignment therewith, said arms being normally biased outwardly to hold said arms in said positioning slots, means for rotating a portion of said spring between said arms to distort said spring and move said arms inwardly from said positioning slots and into the grooves formed in said hub whereby the energy stored in said spring by the distortion thereof rotates said circuit controlling member with a snap action.

'7. In an electric switch, a conducting strap including a iixed contact having an aperture formed therein with a plurality of spaced positioning slots communicating therewith, a movable contact normally biased to one circuit controlling position, a disk of insulating material rotatably mounted with respect to said conducting strap for moving said movable contact to another circuit controlling position, said disk having openings formed therein in alignment with certain of said positioning slots, a spring member having resilient arms each of which is positioned near une endin one of said openings and the positioning slot in alignment therewith, and means for rotating a portion o! said spring between said arms to distort said spring and move said arms inwardly whereby said arms are released from said positioning slots and the energy stored in said spring rotates said disk with a snap action. Y

8. In an electric socket, a shell contact, a central contact and an intermediate contact, a fixed switch contact, movable switch contacts electrically connected to said central and intermediate contacts respectively; a circuit controller having more than two angularly displaced circuit controlling positions mounted for rotation relative to said fixed contact and constructed and arranged to control the engagement of said fixed and movable contacts, an operating memberl and spring means interconnecting said operating member and said circuit controller tor rotating saidcircuit controller in either direction with a snap action.

9. In an electric socket, a support of insulating material, a shell contact positioned on one side of said support, a pair of substantially L-shaped members of'conducting material positioned in spaced relation on said sup'port with one arm of each of s'aid members lying along said one side of said support and within said shell contact and with the other arm of each of said members extending through said support and substantially parallel to the axis of said shell contact, means overlying a portion of said shell contact and said L-shaped members to secure said shell contact and said L-shaped members to said support in insulated relation, a contact formed near the end of each arm extending through said support and forming movable switch contacts, a fixed switch contact arranged to cooperate with said movable switch contacts, and means for controlling the engagement of said fixed and movable contacts'.

10. An electric socket comprising a support of insulating material, a shell contact, a central contact and an intermediate contact positioned on one side of said support, said central and intermediate contacts each having an arm extending along said one side of said support and each having an arm extending through an opening in said support in a direction 'substantially parallel to the axis of said shell contact, means for securing said contacts to said support in insulated relation, a fixed switch contact disposed on the side l of said support opposite said shell contact, the

axially extending arms of said central and intermediate contacts forming movable switch contacts' normally biased to engagement withsaidA mental openings therein for controlling the engagement of said fixed and movable contacts.

11. In an electric socket, a body of insulating y material, a shell contact secured in said body,

a pair ,of substantially L-shaped members of conducting material secured in said body in insulated relation, a contact formed on each end of each of said L-shaped members, one contact of each of said members being arranged within said shell forming movable switch contacts, a conducting strap mounted in said body, a circuit controller of insulating material mounted for rotation with respectto .saidconducting strap for controlling the engagement of said movable contacts with said conducting strap, an operating member, and

means including a springv in the form of an open A loop interpod between said operating member and said circuit controller for rotating said circuit controller with a snap action in response to rotation oi' said operating member.

l' 12. In an electric socket, a body of insulating .material recessed from its opposite ends and provbetween said strap and said movable contacts,

said disk having a plurality of segmental openings for controlling the engagement of said movable contacts with said conducting strap, and means for rotating said disk with a snap action.

13. In an electric' socket, a body of insulating material recessed from its opposite ends and including avtransverse barrier, a conducting strap in one of said recesses extending axially of said body and having an integral lug extending through said barrier, a shell contact and a central contact positioned in the other of said recesses.`a plate of insulating material overlying a adapted to engage said conducting strap, a circuit controller of insulating material rotatably mounted with respect to said conducting strap for controlling the engagement of said movable contact with said strap, and means for rotating said circuit controller.

14. In an electric socket, a body of insulating material recessed from its opposite ends and inl cluding a transverse barrier, a pair of conducting contact and the other contacts of said members 75.

straps positioned in one of said recesses in spaced relation and each having an integral lug at one end extending through said barrier and a termiv nal portion at the other end, a shell contact, a

central contact and an intermediate contact positioned in the other of said recesses, the lug of one of said conducting straps being deformed to secure said shell contact in said other recess and to connect electrically said strap and said shell contact, a plate of insulating material engaging said central contact, said intermediate contact and a portion of said shell contact, the lug of said other conducting strap being deformed to clamp said plate of insulating` material against said contacts to hold them in said other recess in electrically insulated relation, said central and intermediate contacts each having a resilient arm extending through said barrier and forming movable switch contacts adapted to engage said one conducting strap, a circuit controller of insulating material rotatably mounted with respect to said straps for controlling the engagement of said movable contacts with said other conducting perpendicular to the plane of rotation of said circontrolling position of said controller, a spring 10 with a snap action.

having an arm extending in a plane substantially cuit controller, said arm having one end positioned in said opening and engaging the positioning means in augment therewith, and means for rotating a portion of said spring spaced from said controller to distort said spring and release said arm from said positioning means so that the energy stored in said spring by the distortion thereof rotates said circuit controlling member MERRILL C. HOKE. 

